Greater New Orleans

Elder abuse drawing attention of Congress

Incidents
of elder abuse are growing, according to the Government Accountability
Office, with an estimated 14 percent of non-institutionalized older
adults victims of physical, psychological or sexual abuse, neglect or
financial exploitation -- much of it from family or caregivers.

View full sizeAlex Brandon, The Associated PressEntertainer Mickey Rooney was photographed testifying on Capitol Hill at a hearing on elder abuse on Wednesday.

Among
those testifying at a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing last
week was Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney, now 90 years old. "Elder abuse
comes in many different forms: physical abuse, emotional abuse or
financial exploitation," Rooney said. "Each one is devastating in its
own right. I know because it happened to me. I was financially exploited
and denied access to information of any kind as to how my finances were
managed. When I tried to speak up, I was silenced. It seemed like no
one believed me."

In Louisiana, according to GAO, there were
3,603 reports of elder abuse in 2009. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said
tackling abuse of seniors should be a national priority. "Tragically,
they are most often abused by the very people who are closest to them --
and the abuse happens in what should be the safety and security of their
own homes," Collins said.